Is this All-Star shortstop poised to shake up the Trade Deadline?

The Nationals appear open to the idea of dealing All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams prior to the Trade Deadline.

According to a report from The Athletic, people briefed on the club’s thinking said that while the Nats aren’t shopping Abrams, they are at least willing to listen to offers. Washington anticipates that the talks will be more serious than they were over the winter, with Abrams in the midst of a career year.

Here’s a breakdown of this situation from all angles.

All stats below are through Friday.

Why Abrams is such an appealing trade target

After establishing himself as a solid regular for Washington from 2023-25 (57 HR, 109 SB, 101 wRC+), Abrams has taken his game to another level this year. He’s hitting .288 with 24 homers, 76 RBIs, 16 steals, a .905 OPS and a 144 wRC+ -- tied for 10th best among qualifiers.

He's the best hitter available in a lean market for bats, and it isn't particularly close. On top of that, Abrams is still just 25 years old and has two years of team control remaining before he’ll be eligible for free agency, which means acquiring him would be a move for this year and beyond.

Why the Nats could consider trading him

The Nationals are playing the best they have since their 2019 World Series championship, and Abrams has looked like a potential cornerstone this season. So why would they consider trading him so far ahead of free agency? There are several factors that favor a deal.

For one, despite the Nationals’ surprising competitiveness in 2026, their playoff odds entering Saturday were below 6% (per FanGraphs). And with the state of their pitching staff, they could still be multiple years away from their World Series window truly opening. There are also significant questions about Abrams' defense at shortstop -- he ranks last in the Majors with -57 Outs Above Average since 2022.

The Nationals, meanwhile, have the talent in their system to replace him, with several high-end infield prospects on the way, so it could make sense to flip Abrams for a haul that dramatically improves their roster and better aligns with their timeline.

Reported suitors and other potential fits

According to The Athletic, the Yankees have “checked in on” Abrams, who could fill their need a shortstop this season before potentially replacing pending free agent Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base in 2027, with top prospect George Lombard Jr. expected to be New York’s shortstop of the future.

The Red Sox were recently linked to another shortstop trade candidate, Zach Neto of the Angels, but USA Today reported Friday that Boston has its eyes on Abrams as well. Trevor Story has been limited to only 41 games due to a sports hernia and has recorded a lowly .547 OPS when on the field this season, so shortstop is a position of need for Boston.

Per The Athletic's report, the Brewers balked at Washington’s lofty asking price when the two sides discussed Abrams in the offseason, but Milwaukee is expected to explore the possibility of a deal again soon. Abrams is a complicated fit for a club that has multiple top shortstop prospects -- including MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect Jesús Made and Cooper Pratt, who is already in the big leagues after signing an eight-year extension -- and All-Star Brice Turang entrenched at second base. But perhaps Abrams could fill the offensive void Milwaukee has at third base.

The Rays are another potential fit for Abrams, given their middle-infield needs and the expectation that they are planning to be aggressive buyers this year.

The Dodgers shouldn’t be ruled out, either, because, well, they’re the Dodgers. That said, Tommy Edman’s strong performance since returning from right ankle surgery in June has made second base less of an issue for Los Angeles, and the club also has seen starting shortstop Mookie Betts improve his production of late. So that one seems like more of a long shot.